Sandra Lucía Téllez’s Voluntary Deportation Clarified by Lawyer

In a revealing interview with Ciro Gómez Leyva on Grupo Fórmula, attorney Otoniel Gómez Ayala clarified that the deportation of Sandra Lucía Téllez Nieves to Mexico was voluntary. Known as one of the figures linked to the tragic fire at Guardería ABC in 2009, which resulted in the loss of 49 children and injuries to 106 others, Téllez had been living in the United States under detention for nine months before her deportation.

The lawyer explained that Téllez’s detention began due to a migration issue after she filed an asylum request. It was only when authorities became aware of ongoing legal proceedings against her in Mexico, including a warrant for her arrest, that her detention shifted from being purely immigration-related. Ultimately, it was at her own behest that she opted for deportation back to her home country.

Téllez had been evading justice since 2016 following a conviction related to the tragic fire. Initially sentenced to 28 years in prison, legal proceedings including amparos and appeals reduced her sentence to five years. Despite these reductions, she remained a fugitive. Her attorney specified that her sentence is precisely for five years, seven months, and 115 days for unintentional homicide and injuries.

The lawyer also raised questions about the political use of the case, suggesting that those truly responsible had not been prosecuted. He emphasized Téllez’s role as president of the Council of Administration rather than an operational manager of Guardería ABC, indicating a possible misattribution of responsibility in her sentencing.

Upon her return to Mexico, Sandra Lucía Téllez was handed over to the authorities at Nogales’ Garita No 1 and subsequently transferred to the Hermosillo Reformatory Center. Legal proceedings will determine if she is eligible for any benefits under Mexican law. Her case continues to stir discussions on accountability and justice in one of Mexico’s most heart-wrenching tragedies.

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